Veteran's Day

11/11/11.  There must be some awesome significance there, but aside from the perfect symetry, I can't see it.  The radio shows, and I'm sure TV will have the usual veteran's day stories.  One thing I do notice is the lack of consciousness of the plight of today's veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan fiascos.  As we have moved from the concept of a citizen, conscript army to a smaller, mercenary force, the nation has lost its connection with the military.  I know in my own experience, I don't know a single veteran of today's wars.  I'm sure I am not the only one.  In Vietnam, everyone knew someone who had handled an M16 and slogged through the jungle.  It put the war in the nation's collective experience.  It was another case of  America's 1% dragging us into a useless conflict which had nothing to do with our national security and everything to do with the expansion of the American Empire.  But at least the citizens were engaged.  Now there is a numb acceptance of the horrors, partly because such a small percentage of the population bears the brunt of the sacrifice.  Also, the policy elites use the phrase "our fallen heroes" as a shield to deflect criticism of the quagmire we find ourselves in.  No one can be against the men and now the women who put themselves in harm's way.  Unfortunately, they are not protecting us, but the profits of the tiny minority who benefit from the clusterfuck perpetrated by the Bushies and continued by the Obamabots.  That does not detract from their courage, but it tarnishes their legacy, just as it did the soldiers in Vietnam.